The short version: in zones 3 to 6 winter is for planning and starting seeds indoors from late January. In zones 7 and 8 there is still time for garlic and spring bulbs in November. In zone 9 lilies and garlic go in through mid-December and cool-season vegetables from late January. In zone 10 winter is the main season for cool-season flowers and vegetables such as pansies, snapdragons, lettuce, broccoli and peas.
Not sure of your zone? Look up your frost dates by ZIP code. For this week only, see what to plant this week.
Zone 3
Zone 3b median frost dates: last in spring around May 16, first in fall around Sep 25.
The ground is too cold for planting outside until spring. Spring bulbs already bought can still go in any day the soil can be dug, before it freezes hard.
Start seeds indoors by the end of February
PansyAround Feb 7ParsleyAround Feb 7
SnapdragonAround Feb 21
KaleAround Feb 21BroccoliAround Feb 21CabbageAround Feb 21Wax begoniaAround Feb 28Every vegetable date for zone 3 · annual flowers · bulbs
Zone 4
Zone 4a median frost dates: last in spring around May 12, first in fall around Sep 28.
The ground is too cold for planting outside until spring. Spring bulbs already bought can still go in any day the soil can be dug, before it freezes hard.
Start seeds indoors by the end of February
PansyAround Feb 3ParsleyAround Feb 3SnapdragonAround Feb 17KaleAround Feb 17BroccoliAround Feb 17CabbageAround Feb 17Wax begoniaAround Feb 24Every vegetable date for zone 4 · annual flowers · bulbs
Zone 5
Zone 5a median frost dates: last in spring around May 3, first in fall around Oct 5.
The ground is too cold for planting outside until spring. Spring bulbs already bought can still go in any day the soil can be dug, before it freezes hard.
Start seeds indoors by the end of February
PansyAround Jan 25ParsleyAround Jan 25SnapdragonAround Feb 8KaleAround Feb 8BroccoliAround Feb 8CabbageAround Feb 8Wax begoniaAround Feb 15Every vegetable date for zone 5 · annual flowers · bulbs
Zone 6
Zone 6a median frost dates: last in spring around Apr 29, first in fall around Oct 16.
Plant outside between November and February
TulipPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 6
DaffodilPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 6
CrocusPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 6
HyacinthPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 6
Ornamental onionPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 6
SnowdropPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 6
Grape hyacinthPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 6
Siberian squillPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 6
Asiatic lilyPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 6
Dwarf irisPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 6
WindflowerPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 6Start seeds indoors by the end of February
PansyAround Jan 21ParsleyAround Jan 21SnapdragonAround Feb 4KaleAround Feb 4BroccoliAround Feb 4CabbageAround Feb 4Wax begoniaAround Feb 11
PetuniaAround Feb 25LantanaAround Feb 25Madagascar periwinkleAround Feb 25ColeusAround Feb 25Every vegetable date for zone 6 · annual flowers · bulbs
Zone 7
Zone 7a median frost dates: last in spring around Apr 16, first in fall around Oct 25.
Plant outside between November and February
TulipPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 15DaffodilPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 15CrocusPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 15HyacinthPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 15Ornamental onionPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 15SnowdropPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 15Grape hyacinthPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 15Siberian squillPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 15Asiatic lilyPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 15Dwarf irisPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 15WindflowerPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 15
GarlicPlant cloves: Nov 1 to Nov 8Start seeds indoors by the end of February
PansyAround Jan 8ParsleyAround Jan 8SnapdragonAround Jan 22KaleAround Jan 22BroccoliAround Jan 22CabbageAround Jan 22Wax begoniaAround Jan 29PetuniaAround Feb 12LantanaAround Feb 12Madagascar periwinkleAround Feb 12ColeusAround Feb 12
LettuceAround Feb 19ImpatiensAround Feb 26Zonal geraniumAround Feb 26Scarlet sageAround Feb 26Garden verbenaAround Feb 26Floss flowerAround Feb 26Every vegetable date for zone 7 · annual flowers · bulbs
Zone 8
Zone 8a median frost dates: last in spring around Mar 29, first in fall around Nov 7.
Plant outside between November and February
DaffodilPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 28CrocusPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 28HyacinthPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 28Ornamental onionPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 28Grape hyacinthPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 28Siberian squillPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 28Asiatic lilyPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 28Dwarf irisPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 28WindflowerPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Nov 28GarlicPlant cloves: Nov 1 to Nov 21SpinachPlant outside: Feb 15 to Feb 28KalePlant outside: Feb 15 to Feb 28BroccoliPlant outside: Feb 15 to Feb 28CabbagePlant outside: Feb 15 to Feb 28RadishPlant outside: Feb 15 to Feb 28PeasPlant outside: Feb 15 to Feb 28OnionPlant outside: Feb 15 to Feb 28PotatoPlant outside: Feb 15 to Feb 28Start seeds indoors by the end of February
PansyAround Dec 21ParsleyAround Dec 21SnapdragonAround Jan 4Wax begoniaAround Jan 11PetuniaAround Jan 25LantanaAround Jan 25Madagascar periwinkleAround Jan 25ColeusAround Jan 25LettuceAround Feb 1ImpatiensAround Feb 8Zonal geraniumAround Feb 8Scarlet sageAround Feb 8Garden verbenaAround Feb 8Floss flowerAround Feb 8
TomatoAround Feb 15
PepperAround Feb 15EggplantAround Feb 15
French marigoldAround Feb 22CelosiaAround Feb 22
BasilAround Feb 22Every vegetable date for zone 8 · annual flowers · bulbs
Zone 9
Zone 9a median frost dates: last in spring around Mar 2, first in fall around Nov 26.
Plant outside between November and February
Asiatic lilyPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Dec 17Dwarf irisPlant bulbs: Nov 1 to Dec 17GarlicPlant cloves: Nov 1 to Dec 10SpinachPlant outside: Jan 19 to Feb 2KalePlant outside: Jan 19 to Feb 2BroccoliPlant outside: Jan 19 to Feb 2CabbagePlant outside: Jan 19 to Feb 2RadishPlant outside: Jan 19 to Feb 2PeasPlant outside: Jan 19 to Feb 2OnionPlant outside: Jan 19 to Feb 2PotatoPlant outside: Jan 19 to Feb 2SnapdragonPlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 28PansyPlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 28Sweet alyssumPlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 28Sweet peaPlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 28LarkspurPlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 28Pot marigoldPlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 28ParsleyPlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 28CilantroPlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 28DillPlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 28Bronze fennelPlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 28German chamomilePlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 28LettucePlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 16CarrotPlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 16BeetPlant outside: Feb 2 to Feb 16
Black-eyed SusanPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
DaylilyPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
HostaPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
Shasta daisyPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
Bee balmPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
Creeping phloxPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Coral bellsPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
Autumn Joy sedumPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
YarrowPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28TickseedPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Russian sagePlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Hardy hibiscusPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Bleeding heartPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
Lenten rosePlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Blue false indigoPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Blanket flowerPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
Bearded irisPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Siberian irisPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28SwitchgrassPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Little bluestemPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28ChivesPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28SpearmintPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
RosemaryPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Common thymePlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Greek oreganoPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Garden sagePlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Lemon balmPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28French tarragonPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28LovagePlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Garden sorrelPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
Bigleaf hydrangeaPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
Smooth hydrangeaPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
Shrub rosePlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
Butterfly bushPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
AzaleaPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
CamelliaPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28
GardeniaPlant: Feb 16 to Feb 28Start seeds indoors by the end of February
PetuniaAround Dec 29LantanaAround Dec 29Madagascar periwinkleAround Dec 29ColeusAround Dec 29ImpatiensAround Jan 12Zonal geraniumAround Jan 12Scarlet sageAround Jan 12Garden verbenaAround Jan 12Floss flowerAround Jan 12TomatoAround Jan 19PepperAround Jan 19EggplantAround Jan 19French marigoldAround Jan 26CelosiaAround Jan 26BasilAround Jan 26
ZinniaAround Feb 9WatermelonAround Feb 16CucumberAround Feb 23ZucchiniAround Feb 23Winter squashAround Feb 23Every vegetable date for zone 9 · annual flowers · bulbs
Zone 10
Most of zone 10 sees little or no frost, so cool-season plants go in from fall through winter and warm-season ones from late winter.
Plant outside between November and February
SnapdragonFall through winterPansyFall through winterSweet alyssumFall through winterSweet peaFall through winterLarkspurFall through winterPot marigoldFall through winterParsleyFall through winterCilantroFall through winterDillFall through winterBronze fennelFall through winterGerman chamomileFall through winterLettuceFall through winterSpinachFall through winterKaleFall through winterBroccoliFall through winterCabbageFall through winterCarrotFall through winterBeetFall through winterRadishFall through winterPeasFall through winterOnionFall through winterPotatoFall through winterGarlicFall through winterEvery vegetable date for zone 10 · annual flowers · bulbs
Frequently asked questions
Can you plant anything in winter?
Yes, depending on your zone. In zones 9 and 10 winter is prime time for cool-season vegetables and flowers. In zones 7 and 8 garlic and spring bulbs can go in through November. Colder zones use late winter to start seeds indoors.
Is it too late to plant tulip and daffodil bulbs?
Bulbs can go in until the ground freezes hard. Planted late they may bloom a little later in spring, but they still bloom. Bulbs left in the bag over winter usually dry out and fail.
When should I start seeds indoors?
Count back from your last spring frost: most tomatoes and peppers need 6 to 8 weeks indoors, onions and some flowers longer. Each plant page in our guide gives the count, and the dates above apply it to each zone.
Hardiness ranges, light and size are typical figures from university extension services and botanic garden plant records; a named variety can differ, so check its tag. Planting dates come from each zone's median frost dates (NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals) and the timing rules in how we check.